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Jardin de los Niños — Hope and support for homeless families

By Matlin Smith / msmith@lcsun-news.com

Posted:
11/03/2012 02:52:18 AM MDT

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George and Britney Ducharme share a laugh with their two children Noah, 2, and Memory, 4, at Jardin de los Ni&ntilde;os. George and Britney, both 21, are students at the DACC and volunteer firefighters. They credit Jardin de los Niños with helping them turn their lives around after being homeless.

Homeless can often by synonymous with hopeless, but Jardin de los Niños — which translates to "Garden of the Children" — is making strides toward combating that notion by cultivating the minds of its youngest clients and fostering a more positive environment for their families.

"We came to Jardin (in October 2011) after we were evicted from our apartment," said Britney Ducharme, 21, of Las Cruces.

The only means of transportation for Ducharme and her husband, George, were bicycles, which they used to take their children — Memory, 4, and Noah, 2 — to day care.

After learning about the non-profit organization through a friend, Ducharme said she and her husband applied, and have since seen positive changes in their family.

"My kids are safe here while I'm out doing what I need to do," she said. Through the resources and services provided by Jardin, Ducharme said her children were able to receive presents on Christmas, jackets, diapers, clothing, shoes and other necessities, as well as an education.

"Since they came to Jardin, their social skills have developed and their motor skills have developed," she said. "They love it here."

After taking advantage of the parenting and money management classes Jardin offers, Ducharme and her husband are now both full-time students at Doña Ana Community College, as well as volunteer firefighters.

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Jardin is a non-profit organization for homeless and near homeless children, providing meals and early learning opportunities to help prepare children for school, as well as offering support for families through a multitude of free services.

"Homeless children are helpless in the situation they're in," said executive director Shirley Jaquez. "It is critical that they have every learning experience they can."

And there is no shortage of daily learning experiences in Jardin's five-star accredited education program, which served 1,285 children, ages 6 weeks to 10 years old, in 2011-2012. With the help of an on-site therapist, Jaquez said the program identifies goals for each child and helps them develop motor and social skills, as well as emotional stability.

Founded in December 1995 by Anna Waldschmidtt and Beth Daddio, Jardin was housed in two rooms of the Peace Lutheran Church before moving to a new building on the campus of Community of Hope in 2001, said Jaquez.

This year, on a $705,000 budget that excludes the cost of maintaining the building, Jardin staff will provide child care and assist families in finding housing, health care, employment and other community assistance services.

"Our population is the neediest of the needy," Jaquez said. "I commend our parents for trying to better themselves and their families."

On daily basis, the organization assists 48 to 50 children with the help of community donations, creative fundraisers, and proceeds from their volunteer-run store, La Tienda de Jardin, located at 335 La Colonia Ave., at the corner of Main Street and Alameda Boulevard.

Jaquez said 90 percent of Jardin families graduate successfully and do not return to homelessness.

Matlin Smith can be reached at 575-541-5468; follow her on Twitter @msmith_lcsun.